Egypt’s ‘full military coup:’ How it happened

A policeman (C) cheers with protesters, who are against Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, as they dance and react in front of the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo July 3, 2013 (Reuters / Louafi Larbi) / Reuters

Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi was ousted in a military coup Wednesday, with security forces forbidding him from leaving the country, arresting a number of top Muslim Brotherhood officials, and raiding media outlets in the midst of broadcasts.

Saad El-Katani, the head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Foreign
Justice Party (FJP), and Rashad al-Bayoumi, one of the FJP’s
deputy leaders, were both detained, security forces told Reuters.
Arrest warrants were also issued for 300 members of the
Brotherhood and security forces were preparing to disperse
pro-Morsi demonstrations throughout the country.

A Muslim brotherhood spokesman said Morsi and Essam El-Haddad, a
presidential aide, were being held at a residence used by the
country's presidential guards.

“The Egyptian Armed Forces first declared, is still declaring
and will always declare that it stands distant from political
forces. The Armed Forces, based on its insightfulness, has been
called by the Egyptian people for help, not to hold the reins of
power, yet to discharge its civil responsibility and answer
demands of responsibility,” said General Abdul Fatah Khalil
al-Sisi, the head of the EAF, in a statement announcing the
military’s decision to end Morsi’s presidency.

“Suspending the constitution provisionally; the chief justice
of the constitutional court will declare the early presidential
elections; Interim period until president is elected. Chief
Justice will have presidential powers; A technocrat, capable
national government will be formed; The committee will offer all
its expertise to review the new constitution; the Supreme
Constitutional Law will address the draft law and prepare for
parliamentary elections,” he went on, as translated by Al
Jazeera.

In that connection, Egypt's top generals told US Defense
Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Martin Dempsey by phone Thursday that the country would
soon be back under civilian control.

National security adviser Essam El-Haddad said that "no
military coup can succeed in the face of sizeable popular force
without considerable bloodshed." He admitted that the army
and police may use violence to clear the streets of Cairo.

Through his official Twitter page, Morsi advised all Egyptians
prior to his detention to resist the coup peacefully and without
violence.

At least five staff members of Al Jazeera’s Egyptian broadcast
team were detained and prevented from broadcasting images of a
pro-Morsi rally near Cairo University. Shadi Hamid, an Egypt
analyst with the Brookings Institution, said that staff of
Brotherhood-associated Misr 25 were arrested as well.

Egyptian troops, including commandos, were deployed to key sites
and intersections throughout Egypt, including Suez and the
highway to Alexandria. Hundreds of soldiers took part in a
military parade near the presidential palace, according to
Reuters.

MENA, Egypt’s state news agency, reported police were continuing
their efforts to arrest “a number of members of the Muslim
Brotherhood who are accused of inciting violence and disturbing
general security and peace.”

US President Barack Obama, while being careful to avoid saying
“military coup” in his address, called on security forces
to “avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsi and his
supporters.”

Morsi refused to step down, proposed unity govt

Morsi previously offered a consensus government as a way out of
the country's crisis, but refused to offer any meaningful
compromises.

A proposed coalition government would have included a Prime
Minister elected by political powers, according to a presidential
statement. The statement added that "the scenario that some
parties are trying to impose is rejected by the
people."

Crowds cheer as army copter flies over prez palace protesters
who are already celebrating:they believe they've won pic.twitter.com/ut9gip1Yek

The military ultimatum given to President Mohamed Morsi came and
went with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets.
Morsi previously rejected the deadline, which gave him 48 hours
to meet the demands of the people before facing army
intervention.

Just before the afternoon deadline imposed by the military
expired, Morsi again rejected army intervention. The leader said
that abiding by his electoral legitimacy was the only way to
prevent violence. He criticized the military for "taking only
one side."

"One mistake that cannot be accepted, and I say this as
president of all Egyptians, is to take sides," Morsi said in
a statement issued by his office. "Justice dictates that
the voice of the masses from all squares should be heard."

A meeting between Commander-In-Chief of the Egyptian Armed
Forces, Abdul Fatah Khalil Al-Sisi, and political forces was
held, Al Arabiya reported. The most important issue discussed was
reportedly that of sending reassuring messages to the
Brotherhood's leaders.

The Brotherhood said the army’s actions amounted to a coup and
warned that its members were ready to become martyrs to defend
the president.

"There is only one thing we can do: we will
stand in between the tanks and the president," Gehad El-Haddad, the MB official
spokesman, told Reuters on Wednesday before Morsi was put under
house arrest.

"We will not allow the will of the Egyptian people to be
bullied again by the military machine."